Many past studies have focused on genes related to alcohol metabolism, but CRHR1 is not a metabolism gene. Nelson says it appears from animal studies, however, that the gene may be involved in risks associated with the effects of environmental stress. In the case of humans, he suspects variants of the gene may play a role in protecting against stresses caused by child sexual abuse.

"There are many different ways an individual can become alcoholic, some involving heavy genetic risks, some involving specific environmental factors, such as exposure to peers who drink heavily," Nelson says. "This particular pathway involving CRHR1 is interesting because it seems to play an extremely important role in animal models of alcohol consumption and dependence."

He says better understanding of how the gene works may help scientists understand the process by which people become alcoholics. As they attempt to clarify the possible role of the CRHR1 gene in protecting sexual abuse survivors from alcohol dependence, Nelson says it may be interesting to look at other severe environmental stressors that trigger alcohol use to see whether people with the H2 variation also are protected from those forms of risk.

In addition, he says drugs have been developed that block CRHR1 receptors. If it turns out that humans are responding to the same stressors and reacting via the same genetic pathway that animals do, Nelson says some of those drugs may be able to help people who are alcoholic using the same pathway that protects people with the H2 haplotype.

A panel of leading alcoholism researchers will discuss important findings from translational and other genetic research and their implications for treatment at Washington University School of Medicine during the 10th annual Guze Symposium on Alcoholism. The topic of the Feb. 18 meeting is Disentangling the Genetics of Alcoholism: Understanding Pathophysiology and Improving Treatment.

Source: Washington University in St. Louis